Mail box



March 6, 1945. G. J. OVERMYER I* ?370,682

MAIL BOX Filed Aug. 5, 1943 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w l za m-4- ly "F BY JNVE'NTOR Construction.

Patented Mar. 6, 1945 UNITED S'TATES PATELNT omar-ce George 1.1. "overnryer, ;Tu'l"sa, `Okki. Application August 5, 1943, serial, Ne. ;491485 1 claim, (01.1232-45) A This invention reietes to mail boxes, one of the objects 'being toprovide aboxso construoted that it `'can be made entirely of `glass or --other plastic material. i

A' further object is to ntilize a self-o1osing plasticplate or closurefor the 'box which'is held 'against :unintentional :removal because of .its pe- `culliar relationship to the wall :or other support- 'ing structure to Whi'ch the mail box -is-connected.

A further object is to provide -a 'to elosure Whith, on `arriving in closed `position, will become 'interlocked 'Wth the top of 'the box 'in such a "manher as ;to "prevent seepage of moistui'e into the box through the top the-reoi.

Another 'object is to provide a closure which can be opened Teadily by hand and, desired; i

can be given an initial impulse when released "so "as to start it automatically toward its closed position.

I Another object is to form the `mail box -o-'f a "transparent material whereby the contents of made in the Construction and arrangement of aar'ts without departing from the'sp'irit of the 'invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing-s the breferred 'form 'of the invention has been shown.

'In 'said drawings Figure 1 isa front elevation of a 'mail box -embodying the present improvement-s.

' ;Figure 2 is a 'side elevation 'ther-eci.

` Figure B is a top p lan View.

Figure 4 is acentrai vertical section taken from' front to rea-r, the attaching clips being shown in i elevat-ion. s

` Eigu re 5 is a side elevatioh of the top portion "of the mail box showing the eosure pushed back to open position. e

Figur'e 6 is a section on line 6-45, Fig-ure 4, taken through one side portion of the box;

Figure 7 is a section on line 1-1, Figu 4, taken "through one side portion 'of thebox.

Figure 8 is a side e'levation of the bottom portion of the box 'showing 'a slightiy modified Ei'gure "9 is a 'side elevation of the bottom portion oi the box :and ;showing the lower cla'cnh` uti'Iized not 'only a's 'a support 'for magazines 'and other* large parcels of mail, butal'so .for :ose as a hasp for :looking the bottom siclosure ;in set position r I Figura :10 :is a &side e'levation o the bottom portion of the mail *box a :modified of :clip 'and paper or pame] hold'er. I

figure 11 ;is a side eleyation' of Ja portion of -amodified iorm/of m'aii box. i r 1 At e outset it is &iesired to point but par- -ticularly ;the &act that the :present &mail ibox'and 'its closures are made entirely of' transparent material such glass nlaste or 'the like, :the purpose being :to provide :a :structure the contents oi which can be seen `at a distance when viewed 'at 'any angle This is especially important ''loc'azlities 'where the box mustbe loca-temat :a

point removed :fitoni the :normal location .otf the *user and under such conditions ethebox, if :made

partly or ;entirely of opaque :material 'as "sheet :metal :or the 1ike,`-wouldirequently ob'- s'cure from :the obserx' er small articles of contained :in'the box. i The box ?can be :of fany adesired &but;

, the :structure illustn'ated, -=tloe body portion I has its back wall offset ihto ?the :body as at 2 to prom :vide a el eairance .3 into 'which magazines and' other large articles of mail :can `:be thust' 'after the .box has been :atta'ched to a wall, %post :or other supporting structure indica'tei generally ,at-S. The box has a depres'sion I' in "the back portion of the top thereo-iestgnedto .receive the lower end of e clip :6 which can -be ::a bow &spring 'formed of a :suitable material and.fastened at 'screw 'I or the like. `"This leaves the upp'er'end 8 of the 'spring exten'cling well above 'the top bf the box for the p ur'pose hereinatter explained.

The back surface of'the bottom of the box is adapted to bear, as at 9, against the stppotting structure S and is recess'e'd at theeemtei', as shown at ll) to 'receive zone .end portion-of a 'clip H liker wise toi-med preierably of a tesilient material is upturned asat- |4to constitute a stop;

The top of the b x& is "inciined ciownwardy and forwardly tas ,indioat'eol at 1'5 *and provided with a mail-receiving. slot *lpfiovidd ;at'each v side with an upwardly extenied 'siqe wall {I'T 1nwith a groove !8 in its outer side terminating at its lower end in a depression IS and a stop shoulder 20. Another flange 2| is extended along the back portion of the slot !6 and has a longitudinal groove 22 in its rear surface which, if desired, can be filled with a, cshioning strip 23 of felt or the like although this cushioning strip may be eliminated if desired.' A lip or rib 24 extends upwardly from the front portion of the slot IS and is preferably rounded as shown. The upper portion of the lip 24 and of the flanges l1 and 2! are all located in an inclined plane preferably parallel with the plane occupied by that portion of the top located back of the fiange 2l. said portion has been shown at 25. The front portion 26 of the top !5 is preferably pitched at a grater angle than the rear portion and extends from the base of the lip or head 24 forwardly to a. rib 21 into which it merges and which projects forwardly beyond the front surface of the body I of the mail box.

The top closure consists of a plate 28 formed of glass or other suitable plastic material, this plate being provided at its sides with flanges 29 lapping the outer surfaces of the flanges !1. As shown particularly in Fig. 6 the flanges 29 have inwardly extended longitudinal beads or ribs 30 which project into the respective grooves !8 and,

as will be seen by referring to Fig. 5, the forward ends of these beads are provided with downwardly extended rounded nodes or lugs 3I. The ribs 30 do not fit snugly in the grooves !8 but are of a thickness somewhat less than the height of the grooves. Thus it is possible for the plate 28 to have a, limited swinging movement Upwardly or downwardly relative to the top surfaces of the flanges |1 and 2| and the lip or rib 24. This movement is just sufficient to allow a lip 32 extending across the forward portion of the plate '28 to ride over the rib 24 after which the nodes or lugs 3| will gravitate into the recesses I& and allow the forward e'dge portion of the plate to drop on the surface 26 so as to lap the rib 24 and form a seal against seepage of moisture into the slot I 6. When the plate is thus located, a

' depending flange 33 carried by the plate and in terposed between the rear end portions of the flanges 29, will be in contact with the cushioning material 23 or with the flange 22 if the cushioning material is not used.

Another construction to seal the top opening against seepage of moisture into the slot !6 can also be utilized. In such a modified form the lip 32 is eliminated and an extension 28' of the plate 28 rests down on the flat top 24 of the rib 24'. This modified form is illustrated in Fig. 11 to show the extension 28' of the plate 28 without a lip 32.

A projection 34 extends upwardly from the i plate 28 and by pressing backwardly thereon the nodes 3l will ride upwardly out of the recesses !9, thereby lifting the lip 32 over the rib or lip 24. This action is permitted because of the play between the ribs 30 and the upper walls of the grooves |8. Continued back pressure against the projection 34 will result in forcing the back end I of the closure against the upper end portion of as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The open position of the closure has been illustrated in Fig. 5.

The bottom of the body l is inclined upwardly and forwardly and is open, the outlet 35 preferably being larger than the interier of the body so that mail can slide freely from the body when open at the bottom without danger of clogging. A transverse groove 36 is formed in the front surface of the bottom portion of the body and communicates, at its ends, with corresponding grooves 31 in the sides of the body, these latter grooves being inclined downwardly and backwardly so as to be parallel with the inclined bottom of' said body. The rear or lower ends of the side grooves 31 terminate at stop shoulders 38.

The bottom closure comprises a plate 39 havin a transverse fiange 40 extending upwardly from its forward edge and provided with a backwardly extended rib 4l. When the closure is shut, this rib is adapted to project into the front groove 36 and, if a cushioning material 42 is located in this groove, the rib 4! will contact therewith. The plate has side flanges 43 which, as illustrated in Fig. 7, extend into the respective grooves 31 so as thus to support the plate close to the inclined bottom of body I. A projection 44 extends downwardly from the forward portion of the plate and constitutes a finger piece by means of which the bottom closure can be slid 'upwardly and forwardly for the purpose of opening the bottom of the box This sliding movement can be limited by one or more plugs 45 of felt or other cushioning material inserted through the plate and projecting upwardly therefrom so that the plugs can come against the front wall of the bottom opening of the body when the closure is moved to full open position.

Obviously when the bottom closure is released after being slid upwardly, it can gravitate to closed position.

Instead of relyin-g. upon the plugs 45 for limiting the forward sliding movement of the bottom closure 39, a modified Construction such as illustrated in Fig. 8 can `be used. In this device the 'bottom closure 39' with the finger piece 44' extending therefrom has upwardly extending ears 46 adjacent to the back ends of the side flanges 43' and these cars work between the stop shoulder 38 and supplemental stop shoulders 41 which are located on the body l above but adjacent to the forward ends of the grooves 31. consequently when the closure 39' is pulled forwardly and upwardly the ears 46 Will come against stop shoulders 41 to limit such movement whereas, when the closure is released, it will gravitate back to the position shown in Fig. 8, such movement being limited by the shoulders 38.

When the bottom closures are in their full open positions, their forward or projecting ends will sag under their own weight because of the play between the fianges 43 and the grooves 31 in which they are located. Thus the bottom-closures will not shut until their forward ends are lifted slightly whereupon they will slide backwardly and downwardly as already explained.

Instead of utilizing an elongated tongue such as shown at !3 and !4 to 'oe employed solely for the purpose of defiecting articles of mail released from the body of the box, said tongue can be formed with a slot 43. The bottom closure 39, which can be of the Construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 or of the Construction shown in Fig. 8, has an integral elongated ear 50 extending downwardly therefrom and formed with an opening 51. This ear is so located that when the slotted tongue '52 is swung upwardly toward the bottom i constituting a hasp, has been allowed to spring downwarclly to its norma position.

A further modification has been illustrated in Fig. wherein the tongue 54 of the bottom attaching clip has a supplemental' finger 59 extending downwardly and backwardly therefrom so as to form, with the tongue `54, a v-shaped means for holding magazines or the like thrust against the supporting surface S;

The primary purpose of the tongues l3, 52 and 54 is to prevent released mail from falling straight down from the mail `box When the bottom closure is open. Instead this"re1eased mail will be intercepted and defiected forwardy to a point Where it can be reached Conveniently.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that a box constructed as herein described will aiford complete protection for its contents against rain,

` .swirling snow, etc.-, inasmuch as the closures will shut automatically when released and; When shut, Will be so positioned as-to prevent seepage of moisture past them and into the box. This is important where 'boxes are exposed to the weather because it frequently happens with ordinary types used, that one or both of the closures are left open and moisture thus enters the' box and causes it to deteriorate. By makingiall of the box out of non-Corrosive material such as glass, plastic or the like, there is nodanger of deterioration because of climatic conditions and,

by mounting the closures are described, the contents of the box are always fully protected.

i padlock has been removed and the tongue 52,

r nodes in the depressions.`

top closure cannot be pushed ;back far enough to dsengage it from the fianges ll unless its rear i edge is liftedto near vertical after being pushed back against the supporting surface.

It is to be understood that the term plastic employed in the claim is used to designate glass por any other molded material of a similar nature.

What is claimed is: i

The c om-bination with a mai box havingan end inclined downwardly from back to front and provided with an opening, and guide grooves in the sides of the box adjacent to and parallel with said end, .each of said grooves being open at its upper or back end and having 'a bottom wall provided at its lower end with 'a depr'ession, of an inclined closure straddling said box end and slidable by gravity to low or closed position across the opening, the upperf or back end. of the inclined closure being supported by and in slidable engagement with said inclined end 'of the box; nodes on the sides of the closure supported by and in sliding engagement with the bottom walls of the grooves, said nodes being positioned and proportionedto drop into the depressions and deposit the closure fiat upon the open endof the box when the closure is in itsextreme low or' closed position, meansor the closure and slidable in the grooves for holding the closure and box assembled, said means being nsertible' into the ,open upper' ends of the' grooves, and means at the frontor lower end of theclosure positioned i for overlying engagement with a portion of the frontor lower end of the box top when the closure is in its' extreme low, ore closed position with the GEORGE J. OVERMYER. 

